The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-02-18
More Evidence Regarding the Bad Boilers
Bought by the Trustees, When Fully
Aware of Their Dangerous Condition.
The Senate Committee Decides to Be-
gin Its Investigation at Once.
Reporters Will Be Allowed To Be Present
During the Proceedings if No Headlines
Appear Over Their Reports.

evening. witnesses were called 10 teStiIy 70 the
quality of the iron used in the boilers made by |
Hetherington & Berner for the hospital, and &C.
eepted by DIR. Harrison and the other trustees,
Dver the protest of the mechanical engineer. |
Henry Stacey. The first witness was John Sui
livan, who worked upon the boilers from the
FIRST until they were finished. The witness heard
Neian, the foreman. condemn the iron when
upon the dray. Stacey condemned it. and the
mon laid off day or two in consequence. The
witness said that when he began boiling the
laps together he discovered that 1t would open
put on the ends, forming sand blisters or sand
holes. Good iron will not open up that way.
IN chipping it would split off sometimes an inch
pr an inch and half. In testing the second
boiler, water came out from the center of a solid
sheet He had to plug it up by screwing in a
wrought-iron plug.
Queston-What did Stacey sayl
Answer-He didn't seem satisfied with the iron at
all and was raising fuss from the time the work be-
Q.-Was it good or defective iron9
Al would not have it in soap kettle of mine.
9-What steps were taken to conceal the defects
From Stacey
Ave would generally know when he was coming.
The old man. Ben Hetherington or the book-keeper,
or somebody would be there and tell to up
che defects and would do it with clothes. tools
Or something I wouldn't estimate the tensile
strength of the iron to be than 40, OOO it
tohave been $4,000
The witness was present when the first boiler
was tested, and noticed the leaking The boiler
was filed to an ordinary two gauges of water
and the air-pump put and indicated on
ghe dial the Same as steam. He thought it was
atty pounds. II it would crack at fifty pounds
be would think the tensile strength not more
than Is OOO The water came through the bot
tom with solid sheet right underneath the dram.
That is, it thought TO be solid until the leak
was noticed. 1t came the same as forcing water
through rag
Edward l.. Harrington and Thomas Fitzgerald.
who also worked upon the boilers, testified as to
She bad quality of the iron.
r. A. Merithew, formerly of Rockport Spen-
per county, who has lived in this city for nearly
four years. testified to frequent visits to the
hospital during two Of those years while his SON
was a patient at the institution. On one &C.
casion he had seen a patient. while out or the
grounds running on his hands and knees set
upon by a man and kicked several times in the
side by another man. who then took him by the
collar, again kicking him, and threw him down
upon q bench. He learned that the man who did
patient and the attendant stood by
while 1t done. An attendant with whom
the witness WAS talking while this was going on
told him that some OF the wards were run by
patients and not by attendants. The witness
informed DR.. Thomas Of this brutality. but did
not know whether the attendant who allowed it
WAS discharged or not. He told Dr.. Fletcher Of
It some six weeks after and the Doctor remarked
that he wond dismiss any man who maltreated
patients. The testimony Of this witness also
brought out the fact that q patient named
Campbell had been brutally beaten by two
attendants in sc ward, mons department. but
be did not know their names.
Mr.. Morton read from the record OF the pro-
ceedipgs of the board Of trustees from Dec. !,
1885, to and including the meeting of the board
on Oct. 90. 1886 The minutes showed that
rn- n ~ h..k
two Of the meetings, one on Feb. A, 1885, and
pue on Oct 20, 1886. Mr. Gapen was allowed
pay for all these months when he did no service
nstrustee, being away in Arkansas attending to
business OF HE own.
- Mr. Swift wished to call attention to vouchers
paid since Oct l, 1886, to show such payment
He said he had made a requisition on DIR. Har-
rison for the vouchers, but they were not on
hand. He said 1t was the business OF the hos
pstal authorities to have those vouchers there
and the absence Of the papers delayed the inves-
t:gation so much the longer.
Mr.. Wesner-Dr. Harrison is sick to-day.
&r. Switches, DR.. Harrison is sick. Mr.. Hall is
sick and DIR. Browning is sick.
Mr.. Wesner-We will make showing to morrow.
Mr.. Burrell-Do you want the copy we keep or the
one from the Auditor of Statel
reliable.
The committee then adjourned until 2 o'clock
this afternoon.
The Senate Committees Investigation.
Hon. w. D. Fonlke addressed letter. yestsr-
day, to Senator French, chairman of the Senate
committee on investigation of the Hospital for
tho Insane. setting forth the preambles and
resolution under which the Senate committee
wbs appointed, in which Mr. Foulke's name ap-
pears as the head of the alleged civil service re-
form committee. whose report constituted the
charge against the management of the Hospital
Cor the Insane The letter concludes as follows
As the individual named in this resolution am
ready TO furnish to the committee the names of wit
Aessos and documents relating to said charges and Of
Ter to each and all of said charges if given the
account Of serious illness in my family shall not %
able TO remain in Indianapolis to-day and tomorrow
and shall be compelled to leave for the East in few
days. and therefore, desire to be represented 10y
counsel lat my expensel to whom viii give al
necessary instructions.
Mr.. Foulke received a reply from Senator
French, saying:
Our committee will meet ut Room 81 State.house
this evening, 1850. You invited to be present
Il is our purpose on tomorrow 10 visit the asylum
tpd spend the day in personal investigation. prepar
story to hearing evidence on the proposed iuyestiga
tlon. You shall be fully heard.
In accordance with this invitation. Mr.. Foulk,
appeared before the Senate committee las
night When the committee was called TO orde
Senator Bailey moved that the proceedings b
kept secret. This carried, but afterwards
on motion OF Senator Huston was reconsidered
and the members invited individually Z
express their opinion as 10 the method OF con
Quoting the investigation. Each OF the Repuo
lican members expressed snimself in favor o
open sessions, while each of the Democrats ex
pressed himself In favor Of secret sessions BE
fore giving his own opinion. Senator French In
vited MIR. Foulkc TO express his views upon III
question Mr.. Fouike said that a secre
Investigation could only be OF advantage TO tn
guilty board OF trustees, and that inssmuch a
heir resolutions referred TO the charges made b
ihe ciyii-servicc committee, that COMMITTEES ha
right TO be heard. TO sustain their charges
that this was not a matter of favor. but stric
Eebt. and il il were not granted the ciyil-servic
semrpittee had right TO say there had been n